page_title: Newcastle upon Tyne
section_title: Theatre
hierarchical_section_title: Newcastle upon Tyne / Culture / Theatre
caption_attribution_description: Theatre Royal in Newcastle
context_page_description: Newcastle upon Tyne, often shortened to simply Newcastle, is a city in Tyne and Wear, England. Located on the northern bank of the River Tyne, it is 8.5 mi from the North Sea. Newcastle is the most populous city in North East England and forms the core of the Tyneside conurbation, the eighth most populous urban area in the United Kingdom. It is a member of the UK Core Cities Group, as well as the Eurocities network of European cities. It was part of the county of Northumberland until 1400, when it became a county of itself, a status it retained until becoming part of Tyne and Wear in 1974.
  The regional nickname and dialect for people from Newcastle and the surrounding area is Geordie. Newcastle has two universities: Newcastle University, a member of the Russell Group, and Northumbria University. It is a member of the North of Tyne Combined Authority. The city developed around the Roman settlement Pons Aelius and was named after the castle built in 1080 by William the Conqueror's eldest son Robert Curthose. In the 14th century, the city grew as an important centre for the wool trade and later became a major coal mining area.
context_section_description: The city has a proud history of theatre. Stephen Kemble of the well-known Kemble family managed the original Theatre Royal, Newcastle for fifteen years (1791–1806). He brought members of his famous acting family such as Sarah Siddons and John Kemble out of London to Newcastle. Stephen Kemble guided the theatre through many celebrated seasons. The original Theatre Royal in Newcastle was opened on 21 January 1788 and was located on Mosley Street. It was demolished to make way for Grey Street, where its replacement was built.
  The city still contains many theatres. The largest, the Theatre Royal on Grey Street, first opened in 1837, designed by John and Benjamin Green. It has hosted a season of performances from the Royal Shakespeare Company for over 25 years, as well as touring productions of West End musicals. The Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre hosts smaller touring productions, whilst other venues feature local talent. Northern Stage, formally known as the Newcastle Playhouse and Gulbenkian Studio, hosts various local, national and international productions in addition to those produced by the Northern Stage company. Other theatres in the city include the Live Theatre, the People's Theatre, Alphabetti Theatre  and the Jubilee Theatre. NewcastleGateshead was voted in 2006 as the arts capital of the UK in a survey conducted by the Artsworld TV channel.
caption: Theatre Royal, Grey Street
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